VINCE CABLE insists the decision by Liberal Democrats to form a Government with the Conservatives should not harm the party's chances at the next Scottish Parliament election.

VINCE CABLE insists the decision by Liberal Democrats to form a Government with the Conservatives should not harm the party's chances at the next Scottish Parliament election.

The Business Secretary, and former deputy leader, spoke out during a visit to Edinburgh with Scottish leader Tavish Scott.

The party won 16 seats at Holyrood in 2007, one fewer than the Scottish Conservatives.

The Lib Dems were in coalition with Labour in the first two Scottish Executives.

Asked if Lib Dem rank and file members were concerned at fall-out from forming the Tory-led coalition at Westminster, Mr Cable said: "No, we don't think that at all. We've been written off many times before.

"I remember coming up and talking to Tavish on many occasions before the last general election and before that, and people pointed to our status in the polls in Scotland and said 'you're not going to survive'.

"And actually, we came back as strong as we were before, based on our record in Scotland and the work of our members of Parliament, and that is going to apply in the assembly elections too."

A YouGov poll last month put the Liberal Democrats on 11% in the Holyrood constituency vote and 12% in the regional list vote.

The Conservatives scored higher in both votes, according to the poll of 1,000 people.